International Day of Happiness in Brussels calls for climate action

Mar 21, 2016

#AngryBirdsHappyPlanet campaign in Brussels. Photo: Sony Pictures

The International Day of Happiness was marked on Sunday in Brussels through an event with the participation of Red, the hero of the “Angry Birds” mobile game and upcoming movie, who was appointed by the United Nations as Honorary Ambassador for Green to inspire climate action toward a sustainable and happier future for all.

The event was part of a UN campaign in partnership with the globally renowned Angry Birds characters to make a direct link between tackling climate change and people’s happiness and well-being on the occasion of the International Day of Happiness, which is observed each year on 20 March.

The campaign, in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Foundation, asks the general public across the world to make the Angry Birds happy by taking actions on climate change and sharing their photos and commitments on social media platforms using the common hashtag #AngryBirdsHappyPlanet.

“Economic growth must be inclusive, equitable, and balanced so that it promotes sustainable development”, said Pierre Harzé, Deputy Director of UN/UNDP office in Brussels. “To attain global happiness, economic development must be accompanied by social and environmental well-being”.

Surrounded by a group of children taking part in the campaign, Pierre Harzé stressed the importance for everyone to act on climate. “By recycling, planting trees or taking public transportation, individuals can contribute to a better and happier life on our planet”, he said.

As part of his ambassadorial duties, Red will go on a “virtual world tour”, highlighting various ways to take climate action. The tour will take him to Paris, where countries adopted an historic agreement to address climate change in December, and will end in New York, where world leaders will sign the Paris Agreement at UN Headquarters on 22 April.

Each year, the International Day of Happiness recognizes that Gross Domestic Product alone cannot measure the wealth and well-being of a country’s population and a more inclusive, equitable, balanced and sustainable approach to growth and development is key to being happy.

“The Angry Birds Movie” will be released in theaters by Columbia Pictures globally in May 2016.

In the 3D animated comedy, we'll finally find out why the birds are so angry. The movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (in the U.S. voiced by Jason Sudeikis, We're the Millers, Horrible Bosses), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (in the U.S., voiced by Josh Gad in his first animated role since Frozen), and the volatile Bomb (in the U.S., voiced by Danny McBride, This is the End, Eastbound and Down) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.